Suction cleaner



June 4, 1940. D. c. GERBER: 2,203,463

. SUCTION CLEANER 5 Filed April 25, 1938 INVENTOR Dale Gerber ATTORNEYPatented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oi-Flo 2,203,463 SUCTIONCLEANER corporation of Ohio Application April 23, 1938. Serial No.203,758

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularlyto belt pulleys for suction cleaners.

Heretolore, suction cleaners have been equipped with smooth laced beltpulleys which have proved unsatisfactory because they fail to preventbelt slippage when relatively heavy loads are placed upon the cleaners,and also fail to prevent belt slippage when the belt tension is reduced,due to wear oi the belt. I have found that by providing the drivingpulley with slots, the traction between the belt and pulley is increasedand the objectional features are eliminated. I have also found that theuseful life of the belt is increased considerably.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new andimproved suction cleaner. Another object is to providea new and improvedbelt pulley. A further object is to provide a slotted belt pulley foruse in the dirt-laden air passageway of a suction cleaner. Anotherobject is to provide a method of making a slotted belt pulley. Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thespecification and annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of a suction cleanerwith a belt pulley constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the belt pulley, and

Figure 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of the belt pulley.

In Figure 1 of the drawing a modern suction cleaner is shown ascomprising a nozzle H), a fan chamber It provided with a fan eye 12which communicates with an air passageway i3 connected to the nozzle).The air passageway is formed by the cleaner casing M and a removablebottom plate l5 detachably connected to the easing M by a latchmechanism IS. A motor casing I1 is positioned above the fan chamber lland houses an unshown driving motor, the extended shalt l8 of whichpasses downwardly through the [an chamber II into the air passageway l3.Within the fan chamber H the motorshaft it carries a suction creatingfan 2!] and therebelow within the air passageway I3 is provided with apulley 2| constructed in accordance with the present invention.Rotatively supported within the nozzle It) is a cylindrical agitator 30proyided substantially midway of its length with an annuilar reducedportion 3! which seats a driving belt 32 that extends rearwardly fromthe nozzle through the airpassageway I3 forconnection with the drivingpulley 2|.

Operation of the fan 2!) creates a reduced pressure which is effectiveto draw cleaning air between the nozzle lips 23 and 24 through thenozzle ill, the air passageway l3, the fan chamber II, and exhaust itthrough the outlet 25 into the removable dust bag 26. The cleaner ismovably supported upon front and rear wheels 21 and 28 only one of eachpair being shown, and there is provided a pivoted handle 29 by which acleaner may be propelled over the surface to be cleaned.

The driving pulley 2| shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 is formed ofsteel or other suitable material and is provided with spaced integralcircular rims 35 and 36 connected by'a reduced concave belt engagingportion or groove 31 about which the belt 32 is disposed, The outer rim35 is of less diameter than the inner rim 3B, and the inclined surfaces39 and 40 therebetween are disposed at substantially the same angle withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the pulley. The ,pulleyfZi is alsoprovided with an elongated cylindrical portion 32 reduced with respectto the inner rim 36. Extending axially through the pulley is a bore l3,having an enlarged threaded portion Ml whereby the pulley may bethreaded onto the motor shaft 88.

In order to increase the traction between the belt 32 and the motorpulley 2i, the latter is provided with four slots l5 spaced 90 apart,each slot extending radially from the bore 43 to the periphery of thepulley, and longitudinally from the line t"! to the outer end d6 of thepulley. The

slots 45 are disposed substantially at right angles to the direction oftravel of the belt 32, are of elongated rectangular configuration .tepresent sharp defining edges l8 which engage the belt to increase thetraction therebetween, and the belt enters the slots to provide a slightgear tooth engagement therebetween, to additionally increase thetraction.

The exposed ends 58 of the pulley slots are closed by means of a cap orcover 5! having a circular portion 52 and a flange 53, the latterextending around the rim 35 and spun over and disposed in thecut-outportion, 55 of the pulley so that the flange 53 will lie flush with thesur face of the belt groove it'll The cap 58 functions not only to coverthe open ends of the slots but also as a guard to prevent theaccumulation of foreign matter about the pulley.

In operation, the motor rotates the belt pulley 2! which rotates theagitator 39 through the belt 32. As the belt travels in the belt grooveat it enters the slots 65 and engages the sharp defin zlii tilt ingedges 48 to provide a slight gear tooth action, to thereby efficientlytransmit power to the agitator. When the belt becomes elongated, due towear or permanent set, the belt tension is reduced, but the slots 45prevent the belt from slipping with respect to the pulley. It will benoted that the motor pulley is arranged in the dirt-laden air passagewayl3, the slots 45, however, do not become filled with foreign mattersince they communicate with the axial bore 43', and the foreign matterif any is expelled therethrough and then through the opening 55 in thepulley cap 5|.

One method of making the pulley is to form the belt groove 31, saw apair of diametrically disposed slots in one operation from one end ofthe pulley, and then the remaining two diametrically disposed slots. Thecap 5| is then arranged about the lower rim 35 and secured thereto toclose the exposed ends of the slots, and to dispose the cap opening inalignment with the bore 45.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that I have provided a pulleywhich operates efficiently although the belt tension is considerablyreduced, and consequently the useful belt life is increased; that thetraction between the pulley and belt is greatly increased, permittinggreater belt loads without slippage; and that a simple and inexpensivemethod of forming the slots in a belt pulley has been provided.

1. A belt pulley, comprising an integral body having an axial bore openat one end thereof, a bolt engaging surface on said integral body, slotsextending from said one end of said integral body and transversely ofsaid belt engaging surface, said slots communicating with said axialbore, an undercut extending from said one end of said integral bodyalong a portion of said belt engaging surface, and a cap covering saidopen ends of said slots at said one end of said integral body and saidundercut portion to lie flush with said belt engaging surface.

2. A self-cleaning belt pulley, comprising an integral body having anaxial bore extending therethrough, one end of said bore being threadedfor connection to a rotatable shaft to completely close said one end ofsaid bore, a belt engagin surface on said integral body, slots open onlyat one end of said pulley and extending transversely of said beltengaging surface and closed adjacent to said threaded portion of saidbore, said slots communicating with said bore, means covering said openend of said slots to define paths for flow of air therethrough andthrough said bore, rotation of said pulley byv said shaft causing air'toflow through said paths to thereby remove foreign material from saidslots.

3.'A self-c1eaning belt pulley, comprising an integral. body having anaxial bore extending therethrough, a belt engaging surface on saidintegral body, slots extending transversely of said belt engagingsurface and communicating with said bore, one end of said bore beingadapt ed for connection to a shaft to completely close said oneend ofsaid bore, said shaft cooperating with said slots and bore to defineangular paths for flow of air therethrough, rotation of said pulleycausing air to flow through said paths to thereby remove foreignmaterial-from said slots.

4. A belt pulley comprising a body having an open ended axial bore, abelt engaging surface on said body, means defining completely closedended slots transversely of said belt engaging surface, said slots,extending from said belt engaging surface to said open ended bore todefine paths for dischargeof dirt from said slots, said bore havingmeans adapted for connection to a shaft to completely close one end ofsaid bore.

5. A self-cleaning belt pulley adapted for use in a dirt-laden airpassageway of a suction cleaner, said pulley having a bore open at bothends, a belt engaging surface on said pulley, and means defining closedended slots in said pulley transversely of said belt engaging surface,said slots opening directly to said bore and belt engaging surface, saidbore having means adapted for connection to the suction cleanermotorshaft to completely close one end of said bore.

DALE o. GERBER.

